30-06 handi recoil

[crimsontalon]

Been kicking around the idea of getting an 06 handi but i was curious about the recoil that they have.If i get one ill more than likely be feeding it 180 grain bullets don't know if that would have any effect on the recoil of the rifle but i thought i would add that in there.

[SM Bob]

Crimsontalon,
I would recommend that you get a after market recoil pad like
a Limbsaver or a Pachmeyer Decellerator. The pad that comes
with the Handi's isn't the greatest. A new pad will make a
world of difference. It will make your 30'06 Handi a pleasure
to shoot.

                                   Robert

[.308 Win.]

I don't recall feeling like I was being pounded by the .30/06 Ultra I used to have.  I always thought the recoil pad on the wood stocked guns was pretty good.  Using heavier bullets, like the 180 grain, will make recoil more noticeable, regardless of what pad you will be using.  It's just physics. If you do get this rifle and want to change the pad, you can't beat the two aforementioned pads for less felt recoil.   

[EVOC ONE]

My Handi .30-06 is zeroed for 180's.  It recoils harder than any .30-06 bolt action I have.  For me, shooting 150's or 165's doesn't amount to much less recoil.  Having shot each load many times, my feeling is that if one cannot shoot 180's well, then they would probably not be able to shoot the others well, either.  The recoil is not intolerable, but it does let you know what you are shooting.  Mine still uses the stock recoil pad.

 

[coyotejoe]

Don't have one myself but a friend who shoots some pretty hard kicking calibers, like a .375 encore carbine, always says that for some reason his 30/06 handirifle was the nastiest kicking rifle he ever fired. So much of the recoil experience is subjective impression and not related to the calculated recoil energy and what feels bad to one person may be just fine to another. To me, recoil on the shoulder is no problem so long as the buttplate sits reasonably well on my shoulder. If the stock comb smacks my cheekbone, that really bothers me.

[Hammerspur]

I have a synthetic stocked '06 and find it difficult to shoot accurately due to recoil... specifically the way the short barrel and light weight plastic stock/forend seem to "express" recoil. The whole rifle seems to jump upward when fired as well as muzzle rise.
I have some heavy kickers, No. 1H Tropical in .375 H&H for example, that are easier to handle.

[poncaguy]

I used the Choate  Varmit stock to tame the recoil on my 45-70.........made a huge difference..........

[Fred M]

There is no question a 30-06 Handi will have a good bit of recoil. One way to
reduce felt recoil is a good recoil pad, the other way is to add a thumbhole stock.

The thumbhole stock recoils against your hand and arm and therefore adds weight to the shooting system. More weight less recoil. Your hand and arm also acts like a brace against the recoil. This is in fact a physical reduction unlike a recoil pad which only adds time to the full recoil. I other words it
spreads the time of recoil over alonger period of time which makes it feel
like it was less and more tolerable.

[Sourdough]

My favorite gun is my 30-06 Handi.  I shoot everything from 125gr to 220gr bullets in it.  To me recoil is not bad at all.  Granted the heavier the bullet the heavier the recoil.  But I find the 30-06 to be very manageable.  I will go through two to three boxes of ammo a week.

But I also am used to shooting a TCR in .338 Win Mag as well, so I am rather insensitive to recoil.

[db22]

I am surprised by the reports of ought-six Handis as hard kickers. Granted that I don't shoot a lot of full-power loads in mine, shooting cast bullets for pleasure most of the time. But I do shoot a 150-grain jacketed load fairly regularly, and don't find that the little rifle kicks any harder than other .30-'06 rifles I have owned. I suppose that if you are stoking up a 180-grain load to the max, you'll feel it on your shoulder. If you need a load for moose, that's the one to choose. But a 150-grain Nosler Solid Base with a charge that is throttled back just a bit is perfect for our deer and distances in Wisconsin. I have yet to hunt with my ought-six Handi, but it'll be the first choice this coming November.

[Dillohide]

I don't consider my Handi 30-06 recoil bad. I don't think it is any more than my Winchester Model 70 and certainly no more than my Handi 270. I shoot 180, 165 and 150 grain bullets in it. The Handi is not as light as most people think. That 30-06 barrel is pretty heavy. Guess it is all in what you get used to.

[quickdtoo]

I have a laminated stock on my ss 30-06, recoil with 150gr Rem and Fusion ammo is very tolerable, would be a bit stouter in the syn stock without the weight in the stock. If it's too much, add a better recoil pad and a neoprene shell holder to the butt, Limbsaver makes the prefit #10018 for the syn stock and others that are real close for the wood stocks, see the FAQs for the numbers. 

Tim

[MS Mule]

I have a 45/70 synthetic Handi. for which I had a 30/06 accessory barrel fitted. I used that barrel for whitetail this year with full power handloads using 165 gr. bullets. A Limbsaver slip-on made the recoil comfortable.

[Hammerspur]

My problem with mine isn't that it's too uncomfortable, but uncontrollable... it's difficult to hold still. The d-ed thing jumps like a angry kangaroo!

I haven't had this with other Handis, other '06's or my .375, but they aren't plastic stocked. With or without the stock weight I just don't like the feel and handling... planning to restock at some point or unload it completely.

[PeterCartwright]

O.K., guys.  Here's the word from "the sissy".  I finally broke down and put a "Sorbothane" aftermarket butt pad on my Howa .338 Winchester.  I can't believe how that wonderful material domesticates a stout kicker.  My rifle is now actually pleasant to shoot even off the bench...and with stoutly loaded, 250 gr. bullets!  If you find yourself dreading to pull the trigger, it's gonna affect your shooting-count on it!  Thankfully, this modern material ("sorbothane") which comes packaged in several different products, allows us to have our cake and eat it too. 

If you get a chance, shoot someone's rifle so equipped and see what you think!

[quickdtoo]

Sorbothane = Limbsaver, KickEez, Rem R3, ect.

Tim

[poncaguy]

  I know, I have a Limbsaver on my 870 Super Mag Express 870. Now, when I shoot 3 1/2" 12's, I don't leave skid marks in the dirt..........

[crimsontalon]

  I know, I have a Limbsaver on my 870 Super Mag Express 870. Now, when I shoot 3 1/2" 12's, I don't leave skid marks in the dirt..........

LOL!! I can actually picture that in my head...

[Sourdough]

A lot of my shots with my 30-06 Handi are for long distance 400 and 500 yards.  To make these shots I lay the Handi across the snow machine seat, and position the gun till I have my target in the cross hairs.  I place my shoulder against the stock and pull it back solid then I remove my left hand reaching back and placing it on the pistol grip portion of the stock, holding the gun against my shoulder.  My thumb is on the back of the trigger guard and my trigger finger is on the trigger.  I slowly squeeze the trigger finger and thumb together making sure I don't move the gun in the least.  When the gun goes off it jumps a bit, straight up and against my shoulder.  I hardly notice it at all.  The 30-06 Handi is a very light recoiling gun in my opinion.  Without holding it up front at all it does not fly away when shot, just up, and down.

[fish280]

a good homemade flip-flop pad is a whole lot lighter and a whole lot less expensive than a store-bought pad of any kind - and very effective. any good quality, constant thickness flip-flop sole will work. epoxy and gorilla glue both work for application. easy to trim and sand to a fine flush fit.